How to maintain rosewood knife handles

December 1, 2016 11:04 PM

OK, so I'm starting to see the limits of my general practice of "maintenance through neglect". I received a set of rosewood steak knives a few months ago and I figure I need to oil them. So what type of oil should I use? Food grade mineral oil? Flaxseed oil? Something else? Any other tips appreciated.
posted by coberh to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

You can make your own wood wax with beeswax and food grade mineral oil and buff the handles with a soft cloth.

Or you can buy it.
https://www.cuttingboard.com/blog/what-type-of-oils-are-safe-to-use-on-your-cutting-board
posted by whitelotus at 11:34 PM on December 1, 2016 [3 favorites]

Hand wash, dry and put away promptly after use. Don't ever run them through a dishwasher or leave them sitting in water.
posted by jon1270 at 1:43 AM on December 2, 2016 [3 favorites]

Food grade mineral oil, followed by beeswax. Source: my friend who is a woodworker, when I asked about cutting boards.

I don't see why you couldn't mix them as whitelotus suggests.
posted by ramenopres at 5:56 AM on December 2, 2016

I'm told foodgrade mineral oil, once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, and periodically thereafter.
posted by mchorn at 6:36 AM on December 2, 2016 [2 favorites]

The company that sold me my fancy Laguiole knives also sold me Renaissance Wax for the handles. It's a fancy museum-grade wax, probably overkill, but it seems to work.

The best thing you can do for your knives is to never let them soak in water. If they stay dry they'll be fine with little or no treatment.
posted by Nelson at 7:49 AM on December 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

I think this is a lot less complicated. Just put some olive oil on them, and call it good. Wash the blades well, never soak the handles, but wash them. Often the oil from meals, or meat will be on the handles and will help make the patina. Just wash them briefly, and dry them immediately.
posted by Oyéah at 10:13 AM on December 2, 2016

you're better off staying away from vegetable-sourced oils, they can go rancid.
posted by kate4914 at 6:18 PM on December 2, 2016

I condition my cutting boards with walnut oil. It doesn't oxidise like vegetable oils, and according to what I've read, it hardens as it dries to form a protective layer. (I don't know what the chemistry is behind this.)

However, I'm not sure if this is safe for someone with a nut allergy.
posted by amusebuche at 10:41 PM on December 3, 2016